Smoking cessation in India: A narrative review

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world, and India is the second largest consumer of tobacco. Smoking is associated with a myriad of respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia, and lung cancer. Smoking cessation is the only modality which has shown to reduce lung function decline. Despite established benefits of smoking cessation, its services in India are limited due to time constraints, lack of awareness, and unavailability of resources. Respiratory physicians play an important role in the journey of a patient willing to quit smoking through guidance, motivation, and support. More dedication, in the form of time and effort, is required from physicians' side to this end. This narrative review was performed to get a better understanding of smoking practices and cessation services in India to identify lacunae and help guide future interventions.